During dental, orthodontic or similar medical procedures, an absorbent bib is usually placed adjacent the neck of a patient undergoing such procedures in order to protect the patient's clothing from saliva, blood, water, drugs, and other chemicals or compounds that may be expelled or ejected from the patients mouth during such medical procedures. The dental bib is typically made from nonwoven, natural and/or synthetic materials which have excellent fluid absorption properties.
The prior art method of securing a dental bib around a patient's neck usually employs an elongate flexible member, such as a chain, tube, cord or the like, having clips attached at the distal ends of the flexible member. The elongate flexible member is loosely placed around the neck of a patient and the clips are secured to the bib. The flexible member therefore merely hangs loosely around the patient's neck and the bib lays on the patient's chest. Typically, the bib does not fit tightly against the patient's neck, but, rather, is spaced from the patient's neck thereby exposing the upper portion of the patient's clothing. Also, when treating young, fidgety children, the elongate flexible member can rotate on the patient's neck thereby permitting the bib to slide to the side of the patient's body.
Accordingly, there is a need for a device that retains a dental bib snuggly against a patient's neck. This will result in more effective protection of the patient clothing and more satisfied dental patients. Furthermore, with the present invention, the dentist, dental hygienist or dental technician will not have to continually adjust the dental bid for certain patients.